


Stupid, stupid Lance.

by amataa



Category: Voltron - Fandom
Genre: I can’t do humour but it’s fine, I can’t do tagging but it’s FINE, Keith in Love (Voltron), Keith in denial, Keith/Lance - Freeform, Lance has low self esteem, Lance needs to be rescued real quick, M/M, Pining Keith (Voltron), Purple, Set when Zarkon was obsessed with finding the black lion, Strong Language, aaahh, keith (voltron) - Freeform, klance, lance (voltron) - Freeform, slightly fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:00:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23494222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amataa/pseuds/amataa
Summary: It was his fault.Completely, and utterly his fault that he was in this stupid situation.But that was the whole point.Lance was stupid.***After a cruel, spiteful argument that leaves Lance’s world spinning the team are called on a rescue mission that may or may not have been a trap set by Zarkon.In an act of mindless rage Lance attacks, solo, and pays the price. . .***Rated mature for language :)
Relationships: Keith/Lance
Comments: 10
Kudos: 71





	1. Lance.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Because I suck at summaries here’s what happens: The poor child (ehm Lance) hands himself in so that the Team can survive.  
> Klance ensues.
> 
> This is my first fanfiction sooo.. sorry if the characters don’t act like themselves? Hehe. . .

**WHAM**.  
  
Pain exploded along Lance's face, blood pooling inside his mouth.

Leaning over to spit it out, he smiled, grim and bloodied, at the Galra sentries positioned around him in the dimly lit room.

Quirking an eyebrow, Lance shot a critical look around the square space.

_Purple. Purple everywhere._

Purple walls, purple screens, and even purple restraints.

While Lance did love a good bit of colour, he had too admit that the copious amount of magenta just _wasn't working for him._

Raising his chin back up towards the interrogators he grinned once more.

"Heh. Gotta hand it to you guys," Lance paused to spit out more copper, "you really do love purple.."

That earned him another blow, this time to the left side of his face.

" _Hey!_ " He whined, " _watch it!_ That's my best angle!"

Lance honestly couldn't care less about how he looked right now but _hey_.

_Someone's gotta lighten up the mood in this shit hole!_

And it certainly wasn't gonna be the dead silent Druids that watched his blood pour with sick delight.

His cheerful resolve didn't last long.

The electric charge they kindly sent his way was much more powerful now, nearing its peak, and every fibre of Lance's body seemed to split and melt in iron hot agony.

" _ **Where is the black lion**_."  
  
The masked figures hissed.

_  
Seriously._

_  
__That’s what this was about?_

  
”You guys are really worked up about that, huh.”

_Why the hell would he say that._

Another shock hummed through his veins.

A hoarse cry wrenched itself from his throat, the first one since the cursed ' _interrogation_ ' began.

Panting against his restraints, Lance screwed his eyes shut, breathing laboured and uneven as he fought against the bile rising in his mouth.  
  


” _Never. Gonna. Tell you._ ”

  
Another shock fizzed.

" _Assholes_.." he managed to choke.

Only a blank gaze was sent his way, and Lance watched through heavy-lidded eyes as they cranked up the electric dial.

 _Shit_...

The only coherent thought his mind could manage.

Wrecked chest heaving, sweat beaded on his brow, and an unhealthy pallor now replacing his once tanned skin Lance knew he looked _awesome_.

And by awesome, he meant a walking corpse.

  
Of course, it was his doing.

All his fault that he was stuck in this situation.

 _Stupid, stupid Lance_.

He had been angry, when the team had flown to the distress beacon, which then ( _of course_ ) turned out fake and a trap set by Zarkon.

Lance had been angry, _very angry_ , when they were attacked, trapped inside the ship, and landed moments away from being revealed to the emperor.

Rage, desperation and sadness thus lead him to preform a stupid, stupid suicidal action: **handing himself over to allow his team's escape.**

Now, in hindsight, Lance knew it was stupid.

That was the whole point.

Zarkon would've been so distracted with Lance's laughable attack that no one would notice the rest of Voltron sneaking out the bay doors with the lions into space.

Lance hadn't looked back once.

Hadn't even bothered to try and hear if any of them had cried out for him.

He doubted they would've.

And Lance didn't think his heart could've coped with seeing them run from him without a second thought.  
  
Not after what he'd said.

Not after what they'd all said.

And besides, they could find a new paladin for blue.

One with _actual talent_ , who was more then just a snarky mouth and a gigantic ego.

Who actually cared about someone _other_ _than himself_.

Who could hold a sword correctly and not _fuck up_ every single battle they fought.

 _Yeah_...

Lance stared at the blood-flecked wall, seizing up against another electric attack.

 _I completely agree with you Keith_.

The pain lanced through his hazy mind, and the last thing he thought of before it took over was Shiro, Pidge and Hunk, and of Keith's look of frustration as Lance walked away.

***

**BANG.**

Lance’s pain addled brain struggled into awakedness, one half begging for sleep while the other cautioned against any possible threat.

**BANG.**

_Not like he could do anything about threats._

  
Lance snorted, half delirious with sleep deprivation and agony.

**BANG.**

In some sweet, innocent moment of happiness Lance thought that his team had come for him.

**  
BANG.**

That despite the argument they still cared.

**BANG.**

That they hadn’t replaced him, and wanted him back, despite all the flaws and terrible jokes that came with it.

  
But whatever welcome feeling that bubbled up in his chest wilted the moment the iron door swung open-

And Haggar strolled in, knarled fingers _sparking_ with an energy that just _screamed **wrong.**_

  
Her twisted features curled into a grotesque replica of a smile, savage delight dancing in her sickly yellow eyes.

“ _Ahhh, **the blue paladin**. What a_ _ **wonderful** **surprise**.”_

Lance’s gut squirmed in response to her voice, the sheer harshness of it making him recoil.

At least other enemies had honour.

At least they had morales and dignity.

Haggar had **none**.

And Lance felt the iron hand of despair clamp around his heart, never to let go.

_  
Because Haggar would do whatever it takes._

_And Lance could do nothing to stop her._

_Because he was stuck in a Galra ship thousands of miles from help and it was_

_All. His. Fault._

Lance’s heart fucking **stopped.**

**And restarted at five thousand miles a bloody hour**.

It was no use struggling against the vibrant handcuffs, so Lance simply hung his head and prayed for a blackout.

It didn’t come.

Apparently _Haggar_ knew the _best ways_ to keep someone from passing out, mostly involving _pain._

_Who would’ve guessed._

  
Lance learnt more about screaming from Haggar then anyone else.

  
***

_It was bloody fucking loud._

The stupid banging in the corridors that had just started and _wouldn’t stop._

Lance groaned as he tried to fall asleep again.

Haggar was distracted doing _Coran know what_ and Lance was trying to use the blessed peace as nap time _but_ _noooooo._

_  
Apparently Lance didn’t sleep anymore._

Which was his fault but _still._

Lance closed his eyes, it hurt to keep them open.

  
And the door flung open with a terrific crash.

All Lance really remembered was fear gripping him and whispering in his ear.

Fear that it was a new interrogator.

Or Haggar.

Or maybe even Zarkon.

What he hadn’t been expecting was the soft hands, grasping his face and caressing his cheekbones.

  
“.. _ce_... _ance_... _LANCE!!_ ”

He’d only murmured in response.

Murmured something he doubted mystery guy could make out.

The hands turned frantic, and left his face, taking their lovely warmth with them. Lance would’ve cried out in protest, _no come back,_ if his voice wasn’t already as broken and sore as it was.

“..ight this...hold on....ight hurt.”

_What..._

There was a sudden flash of red light and four thunks, quicker then his sluggish mind could follow, and Lance was suddenly _free._

_  
But falling._

_He was free but falling._

  
Lance felt himself slipping off the wretched upright table, wrists stinging, and then he was falling into a horrible _chasm of emptiness and-_

warm arms encircled him, pulling him up against a solid, warm chest. 

Lance caught a brief glimpse of pale skin and shiny black hair before he was pressed into the strangers neck, one arm wrapped around Lance’s waist.   
  
The stranger started running, his breath huffing into Lance’s hair as he charged down the corridor.

Lance had a brief moment of shock as he glimpsed the person’s face:

.. _Keith??!_

  
_**Keith**_ ( _Lance was still shook_ ) glanced down at him, eyes soft despite his creased brow and his and Lance’s, _ehm_ , history.   
  


“ _Don’t worry_.” 

  
Don’t worry that someone who wanted to kill you was cradling you in their arms, sure.

” ** _I’ve got you_**.”


	2. Keith.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part two, before the argument....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello

It had been a long day.  
  
A tiring day.

In fact, Keith didn’t know if he could even call it a day. 

Nightmare fitted better.

It had been a truly terrifying day.  
Or night.

Whatever.

First off, Keith didn’t sleep.

Although, normally he barely slept anyway, choosing to spend his time destroying Altean training bots or prowling the castle halls in anger. 

But this time, he really didn’t sleep.  
At all.

Which obviously pissed him off.

Secondly, he woke up to screaming alarm bells. _Like, what the hell Allura?_

Just because they’re meant to be some ‘insanely powerful team’ or whatever doesn’t mean that they can just ‘ _be_ _ready for battle!_ ’ 24/7.

So thanks a lot for the training drill Allura. Really helpful.

And then, there was Lance.

_Lance, Lance, Lance._

Lance with his stupid bubbly personality, and his hair that seemed to fluff up at _all_ the right angles, and his stupid blue eyes that Keith _just wanted to drown in, and his_ \- Keith sighed, pressing his fingers into his temples.

He could go on about Lance for _hours_ , and still only be half way done with his rant. 

Long story short, Keith was a man obsessed, and Lance was annoying.  
  
And somehow, _although he hated it_ , he had wormed his way into Keith’s black heart and wouldn’t let the fuck go.

It was like the man had claws or something!  
_  
Stupid, sexy claws,_ some dark part of him supplied helpfully.

_That would contrast perfectly with his skin tone._

_And his lovely blue eyes_. 

Keith growled at the unwelcome thoughts, and stomped off towards the kitchens, hungry for something to eat other than the _disgusting space worms_ they’d been _forced_ to eat at the alien planet.

 _Stupid Lance_.

  
^^^  
_Goddamnit!_

A laser narrowly avoided Keith’s face, singing his hair and rocketing off the white walls behind him.

Locking onto the droid that had shot at him he brought up his shield and sword, using them as a guard for his body while he advanced upon the poor robot.

Keith half felt sorry for it as he slashed it to pieces. After all, it wasn’t the robots fault.

“Keith! Are you okay?”

Lance bounded towards him, completely dropping his defences and leaving his left side open as he cast an apologetic look in Keith’s direction. _God he was so cute._

“I’m fine.” Keith said through gritted teeth. “ _Now, focus_!”

Lance had the nerve to look offended. “But..”

_“On your left!”_

Lance yelped as he was almost struck by rapid fire, and brought up his defences.

Too slow.

Why was Lance always so slow?

“ _You need to focus Lance. The Galra won’t let you rest, and Keith certainly won’t be there to remind you how to fight_.” Shiro’s face was stony as he observed with the rest of the team from above.

Bots exploded around Keith as Lance shot them down.

“I know that! I just wanted to make sure Keith was okay!” 

_That’s it_.

“End training simulation.”

Shiro frowned as he made eye contact with Keith, but shut the program down regardless.  
  
Lance, _however_ , turned to Keith with confusion dancing in his eyes. 

“Uh Keith? What are you doing? Turn it back on!”

His determination almost made Keith feel bad for what he was about to do. _Almost_.

“This isn’t a game, _Lance_.” Keith shoved down his feelings.

“One day, we are going to face Zarkon. It might be together, or you might be on your own.”

Lance took a step back. Keith started forward.

“Regardless of the situation you need to be better prepared. You can’t just waltze in there with a cocky smile and flirty attitude! _That’s not how life works_.”

Lance was definitely listening now.

“Is that all you are? A snarky mouth and gigantic ego? Because that’s all we see. Every single day.”

Keith was close enough too Lance now that he could see the freckles on the blue paladin’s skin. The training room was silent.

“I think you only care about yourself. You never _think_ about the consequences of your actions. Don’t you think we all get _tired_ of you? _Tired_ , of having to cover and fix every single mistake you make?” 

Lance peered up at him, his eyes glistening slightly.

Someone cleared their throat. “Keith-”

The red paladin angrily swung towards the sound.

“ _No Shiro!_ He needs to hear this.”

Turning back towards Lance Keith faltered slightly.

Mostly at the red-rimmed eyes, but also at the lack of hostility in them.

At the lack of fight or even denial that should be ever present on the paladin’s face.

It was like Lance agreed with him. Which he shouldn’t. 

“Maybe,” _this_ would crack the blank expression _for_ _sure_ , “we should find a new paladin.” 

The hushed silence that followed was deafening.

If Keith had thought the quiet from before was deadly, this was lethal.

Lance’s face was ashen, grave as he looked Keith dead in the eye.  
“ _Then why don’t you.”_

It was a quiet response, subdued, but it hit Keith like a brick. 

_Wait, that wasn’t what he_ -

“I’m sure you could find someone, _anyone_ , in all the universes better than me. _Poor, pathetic Lance_ , so weak that he can’t even fly a lion,” Keith _hated_ the mocking tone his voice had taken.

“Is that what you want Keith? For me to go? To run, as far away from you as I can, and never look you in the eye again?”

Lance faced the whole team. “Am I really that.. _worthless_ to you?” 

The statement was so small, so frail, that Keith just wanted to bundle Lance in his arms and whisper endless apologies into his ears, telling him how _he’s worth so much_ and that Keith _was so sorry_.

But he was too late.

Upon the lack of response Lance shrunk in on himself, his eyes already burning, and began to walk away.

“ _Fine_.” He spat. “I’m leaving tomorrow.”

Allura swallowed nervously, her tongue suddenly heavy in her mouth. “Lance please, surely you don’t mean tha-”

“Oh no princess I assure you!” His eyes were blazing. “ _I’ll be out of your hair in_ _no time_.” His eyes locked onto Keith’s.

They narrowed once more before the former blue paladin walked out the doors.

Like the idiot he is Keith just stood there.

Just stood there, dumbstruck, as the boy he loved walked away. All because of Keith. 

“Lance..” 

But Lance didn’t hear. He was already gone.

Leaving Keith feel like he’d just been hit in the chest.

 _Hard._ By a truck.

^^^  
It was official. Lance was avoiding him. And Keith could just _scream_ in frustration.

It seemed that wherever Keith went Lance left, or wherever Lance was Keith was miles in the other direction.

It was an infuriating cycle, and Keith had just about reached his limit.

Of course, Keith did understand.

What he had said was horrible, spiteful and cruel.

He’d rubbed Lance’s weaknesses and insecurities in his beautiful face, and then stood open mouthed as the paladin had walked away, broken, all because of Keith.

Keith wanted to pound his head into a wall.

And then pound Lance into a wall.

The good way.

  
_Not the time Keith._

He really shouldn’t even be thinking those things.

Especially without Lance’s consent.

Especially when said paladin was angry with him. God Keith was such an _idiot_.

“ _Attention paladins!”_

Allura’s voice rang through the corridor.

_“We have a distress signal! An entire fleet of ships has been stranded, in their zone there is a dead star about to explode.”_

Keith ground his teeth as he watched Hunk and Lance run round the corner.

“ _Hurry to your lions.”_

“We need to talk.” 

Keith swear he cracked a molar as he watched Lance look him up and down disdainfully, hurt evident in his gaze.

“ _No thanks_.” 

He replied coolly, and brushed past Keith with cold indifference.

Hunk shot Keith an apologetic glance.

“I’ve talked to him. He won’t leave the team, _hopefully_ , and it _seems like_ he’s calmed down but,” Hunk bit his lip worriedly, “he’s gonna be mad at you for a long time.”

Keith stared at Hunk for a bit before nodding stiffly, sighing as he kicked an imaginary piece of dirt.

“It’s the best I could hope for.” He squinted at Hunk through his long fringe. 

“Just- tell him I’m sorry, _please_?”

The statement sounded more desperate than he had intended, voice cracking at the end.

Hunk gave him a warm glance, and placed a solid hand on Keith’s shoulder. 

“Time, buddy. Just give him time.”

^^^  
Of fucking course the distress beacon was a bloody trap, _when was it never._ And now they were here. Stuck.

Trapped in the ship of the one person they were supposed to avoid at all costs. A brilliant situation to be in.

And then, Lance still wouldn’t talk to him. 

Curt, short sentences. That was all he received nowadays.

Keith knew he deserved it but _still_.

If Lance would only _look at him._

That was all Keith needed. Some assurance that Lance still achknowleged his existence.

That there was still hope for Keith’s stupid feelings.

“ _Lance.. please_.” Keith whispered into the dark of the vent they were hiding in.

Lance shifted instead, fiddling with his blaster as his eyes darted around the scene below them, sharp eyes no doubt drinking in every detail available from their position.

Through the grid conveniently placed in the vent a vast throne room could be seen. It was filled to the brim with Galra.

Common fighters were positioned in the outskirts and far corners of the hall, ‘elites’ stationed around a long rectangular table. 

Zarkon was seated at the head in all his twisted glory.

A squadron of warriors cowered before him in tight formation, obviously reporting the supposed whereabouts of Keith and his team.

Keith wanted to rip the monster’s head off.  
  
Or set him in fire.

Either worked.

_“And just where are the Paladins of Voltron?”_

Keith shivered at the murderous tone of the so-called emperor.

He also noticed a similar reaction from Lance, despite him trying to hide it.

“We assure you Lord Zarkon,” quaked one kneeling soldier, “we will find the-”

_**“Silence!”** _

The sentry immediately quietened, whatever he was about to say lost as shivers wracked his hunched form.

 _“You shall be relieved of your position, and cast from my empire. Let it be know that you left with dishonour, insolence and as an object of scorn.”_  
  
The sentry opened his mouth, face flushed, to argue. 

“ _ **Do not** attempt to argue with me. It shall not end well. I have already wasted enough time. A common soldier such as yourself could never be worth more than a mere second in my presence.”_

The Galra pressed his quivering mouth into a thin line, bowing stiffly before scampering towards and out the door.

 _“Now,”_ Zarkon settled back, surveying the room with a hungry gaze.  
_  
“If you fail to find those puny paladins...”_

Keith knew the threat wasn’t empty. Cold dread settled in his bones.

“Keith.” Lance barely breathed to him. He was alert in an instant.

Lance locked eyes with him, and Keith was afraid to blink.

Lance’s gaze was determined, but also...afraid.

And suddenly Keith was afraid too.  
_Lance what the hell are you-_

“You need to run.”

The blue paladin kicked open the crate and jumped.

He didn’t seem to hear Keith screaming his name.  
  


^^^  
_He was numb. Just, numb._

_Like everything had stopped._

_And kept on moving without him._

_He was stuck in a world of grey._

_Keith didn’t sleep. None of them did._

_They spent every day planning, working out how the hell they would get him back._

_Keith had screamed that they could just blast the place._

_They’d yelled at him._

_‘It’s your fault!_ ’

_‘Come up with something useful Keith.’_

‘ _Let’s just go over the weaknesses again, guys. Keith.. go cool down_.’

_The days bled into weeks._

_They all sported red eyes and charcoal smudges._

_No one mentioned the mini breakdowns he had at night._

_In turn, Keith didn’t mention theirs._

_Once someone had brought up the possibility of Lance being dead._

_Pidge cut them down immediately._

_They often had to remind Keith why he  
was still here._

‘ _If you want to get Lance back we need strategy, one better then burning down the whole ship._ ’

_And so they had planned._

_Until they had the perfect plan of attack._

_They would get Lance back.  
_

**_Even if they had to walk through fire to do so._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading <3 <3

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading xx


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